Flax-machine



c.'e. COOKEQ FLAX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FI'LED JUNEZI. I912.

Patented July 27, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITIYESSES:

A TTORNEYJ' C. G. COOKE.

FLAX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. IBIZ- Patnted July 27, 1920.

4- SHEETS-SHEET 21 WITNESSES ATTORNEKS C. G. CODKE.

FLAX MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE.2I, 1912. 1 48,089, Patented July 27, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

w/T/vEssEs: uvvmvron:

ATTORNE Q C. G. COOKE.

FLAX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. I9I2.

1,34 Patented July 27, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES: INVENWH:

VVJLQ J. I B

Beau 52:44 ATTURNEB'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cLAYToNe. COOKE, OE'iVEW'HAVEN/CONNECTICUT, Assiencn' ro AMERICAN LINEN FIBRE COMPANY, OEW'IL'MINGTQI-T, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

"FLEX-MACHINE.

A bncation'fiia .Tune 21,

To cll'whom'it magj concern:

Be it lm'own that I, @LA'YTONG. COOKE, a citizenof t-he 'United States residing in New Haven, county of New l laven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FlaxMachines, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to flax machines of the general type illustrated and described in my'co-pending application, Serial No. 34:7,644, filed December 13, 1906, and it refers especially to certain improvements in my priormachinefparticularly with'respect to that portion of the machine'which receives the raw fia'x and reduces it to a uniform mat of clean, long fibers, in proper condition for the subsequent carding operation.

The improvements relate especially to'the heckling instrumentalities, their relation with respect to each other and to the other parts of the machine, and to-the' speeds at which the hec'kIing devices are operated by suitable means,relatively to each other and to other parts of the machine, with the object of increasing considerably the efficiency of these devices in thoroughly'heckling the straw without breakage of the long fiber, and increasing the capacity of the machine and the grade of the finished product. i

The present improvements also relateto certain details of the kneading andcompressing devices which act on the fiber subsequentto'the heckling operation. My ob ject in this connection is particularly to prevent the fiber from wrapping around the kneading and compressing rolls, and the invention accomplishes this end in a highly satisfactory]manner, so {that the dangers and delaysoccasioned by wrapping of the fiber on the rolls are eliminated. It has been found in practice that special care must be taken and special means or arrangements provided'to prevent any wrapping whatever of thefiber on the rolls, due to the fact that when 'a-single' fiber begins to wrap around one of'the rolls, 'a large body of stock tendstofollow it very rapidly, there-by "clogging the machine and necessitating the stoppage of the same. By my improvements; this" diadvantageous condition is altogether avoided.

While the improved devices forming the Specification of Letters Patent.

1912. Serial No. 705,071.

subject matter of'the present invention are prlmarily intended for'use in a machine of the general type of my prior machine, the nature of such devices is such as to render it feasible to use them to advantage in many different combinations and in decorticating machines of various types.

Another object of the invention is 'to provlde an improved method of treating flax whereby the disintegration and removal of the shive is very much facilitated, for which' purpose the" straw is-first broken, then heckled, then twisted and then subjected to another heckling operation, as hereinafter set forth.

With these objects in view, and others which will become obvious as the descrip tion proceeds, my invention consi'stsin the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figurel is a side elevation of a flax ma chine embodying my invention,

Fig.2 is a t'op plan View of-the same with certain parts broken away forthe sake of clearness,

Fig. 3 is a'verti'cal longitudinal section of the machine,

Fig. i is a side elevation takenoppositely to-Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of certain parts shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is anenlarged shown in Fig. 3,

F 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a modified arrangement of the hecklers, and

detail of other parts Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of, a portion of Fig. 4.

Referring to the dra inga -themachi-ne frame A is shownas provided atone end with a feed table 18, from whichthe raw flax orother fibrous stock is pushed between feed rolls 1 O, arran'ged-in advance of fluted breaking rolls'll, 12,13 and 14. respectively. The parts so far described preferably conform to corresponding parts of my prior machine, and the breaking rolls are preferably operated in the same manner'c'. c. the several 'sets of such rolls 'are rotated at successively decreasing speeds so that the long fiber will loop up between the several pairs of rolls and therefore be prevented from breakage in'passing from one pair to the next pair. Fromfhe last pair of breaking rolls 14: the stock passes'to a set H of Patented July 27,1920.

b 1 means of a bevel car 18 on said shaft 7 meshing with a bevel gear 19 on an upright stud shaft '20 moimted on the machine frame and carrying a bevel gear 21' meshing with a bevel gear 22 on the shaft 23 of the heckler roll 15. The sizes of the gears used in this transmission mechanism are so chosen that the heckler roll will be driven considerably faster than the last pair of breaking rolls 14, as according to my prior application. At the side of the machine opposite the stud shaft the shaft 23 of the heckler 15 carries a gear 24. meshing with an idle gear 25, which meshes in turn with a gear 26 on the shaft 27 of the heckler roll 16. The gear 26 is slightly smaller than the gear 24; so that the speed imparted to the second heckler roll 16 is appreciably faster than that of the first heckler roll 15. v

Located beyond the second heckler roll 16 is a rotary transfer brush E which delivers the flax from said heckler roll to a pair of breaking rolls F, and following the breaking rolls F is a second set H of hecklers, preferably comprising toothed rolls 28 and 29 similar to the rolls 15 and 16. The heckler 28 comprises a rotary cylinder 28 and eccentrically rotatin teeth 28 and the second heckler 29 comprises a rotary cylinder 29 and eccentricall'y rotating teeth 29. The shaft 30 of thefirst heckler roll 28 carries at one end a bevel gear 31 driven by means of a bevel gear 32 on a studshaft similar to the stud shaft 20 and carrying a bevel gear 34 meshing'with a bevel gear 35 on the main shaft D. At the end of the heckler shaft 27 opposite the gear 81, said shaft carries a gear 36 (Fig. 1) meshing with an idle gear 37 which meshes inturn with a gear 38 on the shaft 39 of the heckler roll 29. The gear 36 also'transmits motion to the lower breaking roll F by means of an idle gear 40 meshingwith a gear 41 on the end of the shaft 42 of the lower breaking roll 1*. This lower breaking roll is provided with a series of spiral flutes 43 meshing with similar flutes on the upper breaking roll F so that said upper roll is driven from the lower roll in an obvious manner. The rotary transfer brush E is driven from the lower roll F by means of an idle gear 44 meshing with the gear 11 and with a gear 45 on the end of the shaft 46 of the transfer brush.

15 of the first set and faster than the second roll 16 of said first set. The gear 38 is appreciably larger than the gear 36 so that the last heckler roll 29 of the series is driven at an appreciably lower speed than the heckler roll 28. The gear 41 is considerably larger than the gear 36, and hence the breaking rolls Fare driven at an appreciably lower speed than the heckler roll 28. The gear 1 5 on the shaft of the transfer brush E is of such size that said brush is rotated appreciably faster than the breaking rolls F and considerably faster than the heckler roll 16 of the first set of hecklers.

Following the last heckler 29 is a rotary transfer brush GrWlliCll delivers the fiber to a set of kneading rolls I comprising a large roll at? having comparatively fine I flutes, cooperating with threesmall rolls 48 having fine flutes meshing with those of the roll 17; Following the rolls I is a transfer brush J which delivers the fiber'to a pair of fluted rolls K, the flutes of which are considerably finer than those of the rolls I. These fine fluted rolls K deliver the fiber to a pair of compacting or compressing rolls L covered with elastic material such as rubber or the like.

The large fluted roll His driven from the main shaft D by. means of a bevel 49 on said shaft meshing with a bevel gear 50 on a stud shaft 51 carrying a bevel gear 52 in mesh with a bevel gear 53 on the end of the shaft 54 of the roll 41.7. At the opposite end of the shaft 54- is keyed a gear 55 meshing with an idle gear .56, which meshes in turn with a gear 57 on the shaft 58 of the lower fine fluted roll K. In this manner said lower roll K is rotated from the shaft of the roll 47, and the sizes of the transmitting gears are so chosen that said roll will operate considerably faster than the roll .47, the upper roll K being driven by its meshing with the. lower roll, as will be understood; The lower compacting. roll L carries on its shaft 59 a gear 60 in mesh with a gear 61 solid with the idlegear 56 so that said lower roll L is likewise driven from thelarge fluted roll 17, the gears of the transmission being so chosen that said roll L will be driven considerably faster than the roll 47 and at about the same speed as the rolls K, althou h it may be slightly faster than the rolls Tf if desired. The upper roll L must be driven positively at the samespeed as the lower roll, and this is accomplished by means. of a gear 62 on the shaft of the upper roll engaging a gear 63 on the shaft 59 of the lower roll adjacent the gear 60, as shown The intermediate brush J is'driven by means of-a gear 64 on the shaft 54 of the large fluted roll47, said gear 6% being located adjacent the bevel gear 53. The gear ea meshes with an idle gear 65, meshing in turn with a gear 66 on the end of the shaft 67 of the brush J, the sizes of the transmittinggears being so chosen that said brush will be driven at a speed considerably faster than" that of the fluted roll 4'7. The fluted rolls'I are driven somewhatfaster than the last heckler'29, and the brush G is driven even faster, by means of a gear 75 on theshaft 54E, meshing with an idle gear 76, which meshes in turn with a gear 77 on the shaft 78 of said brush.

Referring now to the details of the hecklers, the kneading rolls and the compacting rolls, it will be notedthat a roller 67 is mounted above and between the heckler rolls of each pair. This roller 67 is preferably made of wood and is loosely journaled in bearings 68 of the mainframe. The roller 67 is so iounted with respect to its corresponding pair ofheckler rolls thatit will crowd the fiber down into the space between said heckler rolls so that the latter will'act as efiectively as possible. It is preferable to have the crowding roller easily rotatable by the stock which passes between'the same and the heckler rolls, as this facilitates the passage of the fiber through the machine, but in some cases a rotary movement of the crowding member is not necessary as long as such member is so arranged as to push the stock down into the valley between the hecklers, where it will be effectively heckled by the heckler teeth. A stripper 69 is used in connection with the intermediate breaking rolls-F inorder to prevent'the fiber from winding around the top roll and clogging the machine. This stripper preferably consists of a bar 69 extending across the machine frame between the upper roll F- and the heckler 2S andhaving a strip 69 of leather'or the like attached to it in such a manner that said strip bears. flexibly against the surface of the upper roll F. This device has been found'to prevent any wrapping of the stockon said roll and to assist considerably in guiding the stock over the heckler roll 28. V w

The flutes or "corrugations of the intermediate rolls F are preferably given a comparatively sharp spiral, pitch, as" shown in Fig. 2, amounting in practice to approximately 45 degress. The purpose of these spiral flutes will be pointed out hereinafter In order to avoid winding of the stock about the small fluted rolls .1-8 coeperating with the large roll 47, it has been found necessary to so arrange the small rolls that the periphery: of each roll is in slight contact with the adjacent roll. t will be understood that as the rolls 48 are all in mesh with the "fluted gear roll e7, all three of said rolls 48 will be rotated in the same direction so that their adjacent sui'faces will be rotated in opposite directions. In this manner the intermediate roll, if placed in sub stantial contact with the firstroll will tend to sweep the stock downward toward the large roll 47thereby preventing 'it from winding around the first 1 01148; The third roll will act in a similarway inyrespect to the second or intermediate roll 48, and in order to prevent winding of the stockabout the third roll a flexible stripper 69 is em ployed similarto that previously described. Inasmuch, however, as the flutes or corrugations of the third roll 4-8 are parallel to the axis of saidroll and to the stripper 69, the edge of the flexible leatherstrip' 69 may successivelytake into the'flutes as the roll rotates, thereby providing a flexible stripper of great effectiveness. The stock stripped offfrom the third roll by the stripper'69 will fall directly on the transfer brush J.

In order to prevent winding of the stock about the fine fluted kneading rolls K, I arrange the rubber coated compacting rolls L in substantial contact with the respective rollsK, as-shown in F igj6. As the contacting rolls of the two setsKand L are rotated inthe same direction, theircontacting surfaces will obviously be'rotated in opposite directions, and hence referring to F ig. 6, it will be seen that the-right hand portions of the elastic rolls Lin beinginoved downward and upward respectively, will effectively prevent the stock from winding on the rolls K.

The operation of the machine is substantially as follows: The action of the feed rolls 10 and the breaking rolls l1, 12,13'and 14 is set forth clearly in my co-pending application and nee d'not bereferred to in detail. The first heckler 15, as previously stated, rotates considerably faster than the last breaking rolls l gand asthe; stock "issues from said breaking rolls it is effectively heckled as" long as the'fibers are held in the rolls 14. The stock-passes over tl e -heck-ler roll 15 to the heckler roll 16 'in' being crowded down into thespace between said heckler rolls by" the roller 67' or .itsequivalent as above described, and as the'heckler roll 16 rotates at ail-appreciably faster speed than the roll 15,it will effectively heekle" the fibers held on and moving with'the teeth of the heckler roll 15,as will be understood. Therotarybrush E operating at a speed considerably faster than the heckler roll 16 acts as a transfer support on which the long fiber floats over to the intermediatebreak ing rolls F, which rotate preferably at substantially the same speed as the second heckler roll 16. 1

Owing to the sharp pitch of the flutes or.

sharp twisting movement, that is to say, the long fibers in passing transversely across and between the rolls F will be turned about their longitudinal axes. Hence the stock which passes over the first group H of the hecklers will have the shive further broken and dislodged, and said stock will be effectively turned or twisted, prior to its passage to the second group H of the hecklers, so that new portions of the stock will be presented to the heckling teeth of the second group. In twisting the fibers the rolls F likewise serve to break off and dislodge the adhering particles of shive, so that the stock is cleaned to a certain extent as well as twisted, at an intermediate stage of the heckling operation.

While the stock is still held by the intermediate rolls F, it iseifectively heckled by theheckler 28 which rotates considerably faster than the rolls F and therefore considerably faster than the second heckler 16, it being remembered that the rolls F and the heckler 16 should rotate at approximately the'same speed.v The difference in speed of the rolls F and the heckler 28 will cause the teeth of the latter to scratch through the fiber held in the rolls F. From the heckler 28 the fiber passes over to the heckler 29, in being crowded down into the space between said hecklers by the roller 67. From the heckler 29 the fibers float over to the kneading rolls I across the rapidly rotating brush Gr, and enter between the fluted rolled? and the fluted rolls 48 before their rear ends pass over the heckler 29. As all of the kneading rolls 1 rotateconsiderably faster than this heckler 29 it is obvious that the kneading rolls will quickly grasp and pull forward the front ends of thefibers caught at their rear ends on the pins of the heckler 29, moving at a slower speed, and hence'the fibers will be pulled across the teeth. of said heckler at a comparatively high speed. Hence it will be understood that the heckler 28 is intended primarily to act in conjunction with the slower gripping rolls F while the heckler 29 is primarily intended to act in connection with the faster gripping rolls 1, and by rotating said hecklers at different speeds with respect to each other there is obviously a heckling action as between the devices themselves. In actual practice this arrangement has been found to give excellent results and to produce an exceptionally long fiber, there being practically no breakage of the fiber as between the several. instrumentalities acting on it. By having the heckler 29 operate ata lower speed than the heckler 28, the speed of the web is somewhat retarded so that it does not become too attenuated, but, on the other hand, passes into the kneading and compacting devices I, K, L in the form of a fairly homogeneous mat or felt. Furthermore, by reducing the speed of the web at this point, it is not necessary to run the succeeding carding devices at impractically high speeds.

From the gripping or kneading 'rolls I the fiber passes across the rapidly rotating brush J to the fine fluted kneading rolls K and thence to the compacting rolls L. After passing through these last rolls the fiber will be in the form of a closely compacted mat of long, comparatively clean fibers, and this mat can be subjected to any further op erations which may be desired.

In Fig. 7, Ihave shown a modified arrangement of hecklers, adapted particularly for use with short straw. Here the heckler groups H H are each formed of three small heckler rolls. By using these small rolls, the distance between the axis of each roll and that of itsneighbor is decreased, in order to act effectively on the short straw, while a sufiicient amount of heckling surface is maintained by using one additional heckler in each set or group. The hecklers of the first group H rotate at successively increasing speeds in the direction of the feed, while the hecklers of the group H rotate at successively decreasing speeds in the direction of the feed. Hence it will be under-- stood that the principles embodied in the long straw machine just described may be substantially retained in a short straw machine.

Of course, I have not attempted to illus trate or describethe various other modifications of the machine which may be adopted without digressing from the invention.

Although the teeth of various gear wheels and the flutes of various rolls are not completely shown in certain figures of the drawings, it will be understood that this is simply a matter of convenient illustration, and that the teeth of the gear wheels and the .flutes of the rolls are in practice disposed over the entire peripheries of the respective elements. Moreover, it has not'been considered necessary to show the hecklers and rotary brushes in full detail in Fig. 2.

What I claim is:

1. In a flax machine, the combination of means to break the straw, a plurality of toothed heckler rolls'to heckle the broken straw, successively arranged in the line of feed, means for further breaking the straw and pulling the same over;the last of said heckler rolls, a toothed heckler roll operating at a higher speed than said breaking and pulling means, and adapted to heckle the straw while it emerges from said breaking and pulling means, and means for cleaning and compacting the straw heckled by said last named heckler roll; substantially as described.

' 2. In a flax machine, the combination of a plurality of pairs of breaking rolls driven at such relative speeds as to relieve the fiber from tension, a group of toothed heckler rolls immediately following the breaking rolls, a transverseibrush immediately following said heckler.rolls,:.a single pair of fluted rolls immediately following said rotary brush and ,operatingat ahigher speed than the last heckler; roll, a grouprof toothed heckler. rolls immediately. following said single pair of fiutedibreaking rolls, additional breaking rolls following-the second groupof heckler. rolls, and a rotary transi'errbrush' interposed betwen said last-named breakingjrolls and the last 5of'the heckler rolls of'the secondlgroupg; substantially as described.

3. In a flax machine, the; combination of a plurality of pairs of breaking rolls, a group of toothed hecklerrolls immediately following the. breaking rolls, said heckler rolls arranged side by side so that the stock may pass over the same, means for crowding downthe stock onto the heckler rolls, a pair, of rolls for; furtherbreaking the straw. and simultaneously pulling thesame across at least one of saidrheckler rolls, a plurality of toothed heckler rolls similar to said first heckler, rolls, immediately following said last-named breakingrol-ls, means for crowding down thestock on to the heck-, ler rolls of the-second'group, and means for cleaning and collecting the fiber; substantially. as described.

4. In a flax machine, meansto break and advance the straw, a plurality ofwrotary toothed heckler rolls to hecklethe broken straw and advance the same, spirally fluted rolls, a transfer device between the forward heckler roll and said fluted rolls, and a plurality of rotarytoothed heckler rolls in advance of said spirally fluted rolls; substantially as described.

5. In a flax machine, the combination of a plurality of pairs of fluted breaking rolls driven at successively decreasing-speeds so as to relieve the fiber oftension, a group of toothed heckler rolls immediately following the last of said breaking rollsand located side by side sothat the stock may pass over the same, a single pair of fluted breaking rolls following said heckler rolls, a group or additional heckler rolls'immediately following said last-named breaking rolls, breaking rolls following thelast heckler roll of the second group, and means for driving the several rolls at suchspeeds that at least one heckler roll of eachgroup cooperates with the breaking rolls in front of the same, and at least one hecklerroll of each group cooperates with the breaking-rolls following the same; substantiallyas described. v 1

6. The combination ofa groupof differentially driven heckling devices, a second group of heckling devices spaced from the first group and' also diiierentiallydriven with respect. to each other, .and means to advance the stock fromqonewgroup to the othergroup and to; twist the stock as it is so advanced; substantially as described...

71' The combinationiot a plurality of heckling; devices having successively, increasing speeds in the. direct-ion otifeed, a-,second group of heckling; devices havingwsuccesr siveiy decreasing speeds; inthe direction of feed, and meansto advance the stock from the first group to the secondgroup; sub,- stantially as. described.

8. The combination. of breaking means, a group of heckling devices to hecldei the straw emerging from said breaking means, asecond group ofheckling devices, located in advance of the firstsgroupy and aepair-of spirallyfiuted rolls interposed between said groups and driven at such a speed as to pull the straw through one or more heckling devices of the first v group, andvto hold the straw while it is heckledby one or more devices of the second group substantially as described.

9. The} combination of a group of heck-v ling devices operating at: successively increasing speeds in the; direction of feed,: a second group of ihec-klingdevices operating at successively decreasing speeds inv the direction of feed, the firstheckling device of the second :group being driven faster than the last heckling device. of the. first" group, and means tov advance the stock from: the firstwgroup tothe second group; substantially as described.

10. The combination of: a plurality of rotary heckling rolls operating-at'successively increasing speeds in? the direction of feed, a second group of rotaryheckling rolls operating at successivelyv decreasing speeds in the direction of'feed, thesecondgroup being operated faster-than the first group, and means to advance the stock from the first group to the. second group; substantially. as described. Y

11. The combination ,of rotary. heckling devices operating at successively increasing speeds inthe direction of feed, a second set of rotary heckling devices located in advance of the first and operating at successively decreasing speeds in the direction of feed, and rotary stock grippingineans intermediate said groups of heckling devices and cooperating with both groupsin heckhug the straw; substantially as described. I

12. The'combination of a plurality of rotary heckling devices, operating at successively increasing speeds in the direction of feed, a second group of rotary heckling devices'located inadvance of the first group 'and operating at successively decreasing speeds in the direction of 'feed,'the first heckling device ofthe second group being driven faster "than the last heckling device of the first group, and a rotary stock gripping de- 13. The combination of a group-of differ entiallydriven heckling devices, a second group of heckling devices spaced from the first group and also differentially driven with respect to each other, means to advance the stock from one rou 3 to the other rou a breaking means preceding the first heckling device, and a breaking means following the last heckling device; substantially as described.

14:. The combination of breaking means,

' means to heckle the stock emerging from said breaking means, a second breaking means to grip and advance the heckled stock, a third breaking means spaced from the second, and heckler rolls interposed between the second breaking means and the third breaking means, one of said rolls being driven faster than the second breaking means, and another roll being driven slower than the third breaking means;.substantially as described. I 15. In a flax machine, the combination with an initial breaker, an initial heckler, and an intermediatebreaker, of a third breaker following the intermediate breaker, and a plurality of hecklers interposed between the intermediate and the thirdbreakers, one of said hecklers succeeding the intermediate breaker and being driven at a higher speed than said breaker, and another ofsaid hecklers preceding the third breaker and being driven at a lower speed than said third breaker; substantially as described.

16. In a flax machine, the combination of breaking means, heckling mechanism following said breaking means, a gripping device following said heckling mechanism, a second gripping device following the first gripping device, andheckling devices interposed between said gripping devices toheckle the stock held by the respective gripping de vices, said gripping devices being operated at successively increasing speeds, and said heckling devices being operated at successively'decreasing speeds, in the direction of feed; substantially as described.

17. In a flax machine, spaced gripping devices operated at successively increasing speeds in the direction of feed, and heckling devices interposed between said gripping devices. and operating at successively decreasing speeds in the direction of feed; substantially as described. 7

18. In a flax machine, the combination of spaced rotary gripping devices operated at successively increasing speeds in the direction-of feed, and rotary heckling devices interposed between said gripping devices and operating at successively decreasing speeds in the direction of feed; substantially as described.

' 19. In a flu machine, thecombination of heckling means, stock gripping means to advance the stock passing from said heckling means, a second stock gripping means located in advance of the first with respect to the direction of feed, and a plurality of rotary heckling devices interposed between said twogripping means and so positioned with respect to the same that one of said heckling devices cooperates with one of such means while; another cooperates with the other ofsuch means, said two gripping means being operated at successively increasing speeds in the direction of feed, and said heckling devices being operated at successively decreasing speeds in the direction of feed; substantially as described.

20. In a flax machine, thecombination of breaking means, means to heckle the straw held by said breaking means, means to grip and advance the stock passing from said heckling means, means to, heckle the stock held by said gripping means, a second gripping means inradvance of the first, and means toheckle the stock held by said last named gripping means, the first two heckling means and the two gripping means being operated at successively increasing speeds in the direction of feed, and the last heckling means being driven slower than the last gripping means; substantially as described.

21. In a flax machine, spaced heckling means, and stock twisting means interposed between said heckling means; substantially V as described.

' '22. In a flax machine, spaced heckling means, and rotary means to twist the stock as it passes from one of said heckling means to the other; substantially as described.

23. In aflax machine, the combination of 105 spaced heckling means, and means to carry the stock from one of said means to the other and to simultantously twist the strands about, their longitudinal axes; sub.- stantially as described.

24(In a fiaxmachine, spaced heckling means, and spirally fluted rolls interposed between said means; substantially as described. V

25. In a flax machine, two groups of ro- 115 tary heckling devices, and a pair of rotary spirally fluted rolls interposed between said groups, and operative to advance the stock from one group to the other, and simultaneously subject said stock to a twisting 120 operation; substantially as described.

26. In a flair machine, a set of rotary hecklers, a secondsetof rotary hecklers arranged in advance of the first set, spirally fluted rolls of sharp pitch located immediately 125 behind the second set of hecklers, and transfer means between said fluted rolls and the first set of hecklers; substantially as'described. Y

27. In a flax machine, the combination of 130 breaking means, heckling means in advance of said breaking means, stock twisting means in advance of said heckling means, and other heckling means in advance of said stock twisting means; substantially as described.

28. In a flax machine, spaced heckling means, and means interposed between said heckling means for holding the stock while acted on by both heckling means, and for twisting the stock as it passes from one heckling means to the other, substantially as described.

29. In a flax machine, spaced heckling means, and rolls interposed between said heckling means, and adapted to hold the stock while acted on by both heckling means, and to advance the stock from one heckling means to the other, and to give the stock a twisting movement during such advance; substantially as described.

30. In a flax machine, spaced heckling means, and means interposed between said heckling means for pulling the stock through the first heckling means, and holding the stock while it is heckled by the second heckling means, and for simultaneously turning the stalks about their longitudinal axes; substantially as described.

31. In a flax machine, the combination of heckling rolls provided with teeth and so arranged that one closely follows the other in the line of feed of the stock through the machine, whereby a valley is formed between said heckling rolls, and an element extending across the machine at a point above and intermediate said rolls, and so spaced from the latter as to crowd the stock down into the valley between said rolls; substantially as described.

In a flax machine, a pair of rotary toothed heckling rolls, and an element extending parallel to said rolls above the space between them to crowd the stock between said rolls; substantially as described.

In a flax'machine, a pair or rotary toothed heckling rolls, and a rotary element extending parallel to said rolls above the space between them to crowd the stock between said rolls; substantially as described.

34. In a flax machine, the combination of kneading rolls I, comprising a large fluted roll, and a plurality of small rolls cooperating therewith, compacting rolls L, kneading rolls K, interposed between the rolls I and the rolls L, a rotary brush J in substantial contact with the lower kneading roll K, and also in substantial contact with the larger or" said kneading rolls I, and means for rotating saidbrush faster than said last named roll; substantially as described.

35. In a flax machine, the combination of kneading rolls I, comprising a large fluted roll and a plurality of small rolls cooperating therewith, compacting rolls L, kneading rolls K interposed between the rolls I and K, a rotary brush J for sustaining the stock from beneath in its movement from the rolls I to the rolls K, and a stripper 69 cooperating with the last of the small kneading rolls I, and located above said rotary brush; substantially as described.

36. The method of decorticating flax and other fibrous stock, which comprises breaking the straw, heckling the broken straw, then twisting the stock, and then subjecting the stock to another heckling operation; substantially as described.

37. The method of decorticating flax and other fibrous stock, which comprises breaking the straw, heckling it, then subjecting the stock to a combined kneading and twisting operation and then subjecting the stock to a further heckling operation; substantially as described.

38. The method of decorticating flax and other fibrous stock, which comprises heckling the straw, then subjecting it to a further breaking operation while simultaneously twisting the strands about their longitudinal axes, and then subjecting the stock to a second heckling operation; substantially as described.

39. The method of decorticating flax and other fibrous stock, which comprises breaking the straw, heckling it, then twisting the stock, then heckling it again, then kneading it, and then compacting it; substantially as described.

40. The method of decorticating flax and other fibrous stock, which comprises breaking the straw along transverse lines, then heckling it, then twisting the individual lengths of heckled straw to remove some of the adhering portions of the shive, and then re-heckling the stock while the twist remains therein; substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on the 20th day of June, 1912.

' CLAYTON G. COOKE. WVitnesses HENRY E. ROCKWELL, M. O. WILLIAMS. 

